The selfless decision to become a blood donor may have saved the life of a woman diagnosed with a blood cancer.

Ingrid Spedding, 60, from Distington, went to give blood, as is her habit, but was turned away because her iron levels were too low.

Mrs Spedding, a receptionist at Lakes College for the past 18 years, was advised to make an appointment with her GP which she did, going along to what she thought was a routine appointment.

Two weeks later, she was starting chemo after being diagnosed with myeloma, a rare and incurable blood cancer.

While incurable, it is treatable and Mrs Spedding’s message is simple: “I would advise everyone to go and give blood if you are able to, as not only could you save someone else’s life, but your own, too!”

She still faces a battle ahead ­— six months of chemo followed by a stem-cell transplant.

But she is being supported by her family ­— and daughter Rebecca McAleavey has definitely gone the extra mile.

In fact, Rebecca, who is 29 weeks pregnant with her first baby, has walked 150 miles this month to raise money for Cancer UK, Macmillan Support and the Henderson Suite at the West Cumberland Hospital.

Mother and daughter have had to isolate from each other because of their separate conditions, but Rebecca said her mother had wanted to thank everyone who had helped and this fundraising seemed a good way to do it.

Rebecca, a community carer with the county council, has walked an average of 5.4 miles each day during February and reached her 150-mile target on Sunday.

Rebecca, of Whinlatter Gardens, Workington, said she was spurred on by the face that husband Kieran suggested she might not be able to do it. “I knew I had to when he said he would take a dip in Lake Bassenthwaite in March if I succeeded!”

Mrs Spedding is isolating at home where she is being helped by son Chris.

Rebecca said the family had been shocked. “It all happened over Christmas. She had her blood test the week before Christmas, we were at Carlisle on December 23 and the diagnosis was confirmed by January 4. It happened so quickly, but we are so relieved that she was a regular blood donor.”